2nd Tanks’ amphibious ride to USS San Antonio

News: 2nd Tanks’ amphibious ride to USS San Antonio

Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort

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Story by Lance Cpl. R. J. Driver Follow This Journalist

Lance Cpl. R. J. Driver

An empty landing craft, air cushion arrives at Onslow Beach, N.C., Feb. 1 to ferry Marines and equipment to ship for participation in Exercise Bold Alligator 2012. The hovercraft can transport heavy equipment like the M1A1 Abrams tank to ships for the largest naval amphibious exercise in the past 10 years.

ABOARD USS SAN ANTONIO, At Sea – Marine Corps M1A1 Abrams tanks from 2nd Tank Battalion, Regimental Landing Team 2, made a thunderous appearance Feb. 1 aboard the landing dock platform USS San Antonio off the coast of Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C.

While the noise was courtesy of a landing craft, air cushion’s massive propellers, the Abrams’ presence was still impressive, and the short journey the tanks made to the ship, “was smooth and well organized by the combat cargo crew involved,” according to Rice Lake, Wis., native, Sgt. John Ramson, a platoon sergeant with 1st Platoon, Delta Company, 2nd Tanks.

The six-tank movement took close to nine hours from the moment the first tank left the tank ramp in Camp Lejeune to the last tank was aboard the USS San Antonio. For many of the Marines, the nine-hour trip included a lot of their firsts.

“For many of our Marines, it was their first time doing an exercise outside of the tank ramp and their first trip on an LCAC, which many of them, including myself, thought would be a lot worse,” explained Orlando, Fla., native, Cpl. Christopher Garcia, an M88 recovery vehicle driver with the company.

Cpl. Christopher Holloway, a vehicle commander with the company and Cordele, Ga., native, described the ride as, “rather smooth.”

Another first for many of the Marines is life aboard a ship, where confines are a lot smaller, the ground moves and there isn’t much of a selection when it comes to food, but these new challenges are being embraced.

“This is not only my first time on a ship, but my first work up,” said Denver native, Pfc. Anthony Grimadi, a tank driver. “I was excited to leave the confines of the tank ramp and operate the tank in a bigger space on the beach and accepted the challenges on the ship, and I can say I’ve been on a ship.”

Grimaldi explained that his confidence in driving a tank has increased while aboard the ship because of the tight spaces he had to drive through.

While underway aboard USS San Antonio, the Marines of the 2nd Tanks plan to continue their weapons training and coordinate unloading procedures with Marines of Combat Logistics Regiment 26.